December 6th marked my 63rd birthday. I don't really get it. It seems like I just arrived on the planet and I'm a senior member already! Well, I still feel pretty young, can still shoot the rock in basketball and throw strikes and field the comebackers in softball (even though those "young pup" fifty-year-olds hit rockets at you like they were shot out of a howitzer). In bocce I hold my own hereabouts but tend to get blitzed when I venture out to play the "big dogs" who are familiar with those lightning fast polyurethane courts out west. Still, I'm gonna keep at it as long as I am able. I recommend this type of lifestyle to you too. Enjoy!

We're coming into another holiday season so I hope you will consider purchasing a bocce product or two from the Joy of Bocce website. The new edition of the book is always a good option, as are measures, or any of the embroidered items with the striking Joy of Bocce logo.

If you are in my neighborhood we are having a couple open bocce nights at the Sons of Italy on Marston St. in Lawrence, Mass. The three newly refurbished, carpeted courts will be put to good use. Come on down Tuesday, December 14th and/or Tuesday December 21st from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM for some spirited bocce play, and FREE lessons if you never played before.

On the 21st I'll be doing a book signing at the courts. I sometimes think, "What if you did a book signing and nobody showed?" Hey, come on down, play a little bocce and maybe pick up a specially autographed copy of the new edition of the Joy of Bocce. One Christmas season a few years back we did something like this at a local Barnes and Nobles bookstore and it was extremely successful. Heck, everybody knows someone who plays bocce, and the book is an inexpensive holiday gift. Hope to see you there.

Check out these three photos. My friend Ralph Bagarella had a Rico Daniele scoreboard mounted at center court at his Salem, NH home. Since he likes to play a lot of "cut-throat," he had a talented friend and neighbor custom build a replacement scoreboard that slides in to take the place of the original scoreboard. The new scoreboard has dials and arrows for 3 teams - one each for green, red, and white bocce.

The listing for tournaments at the end of the ezine tends to get shorter and shorter as the holiday season closes in on us. Please send me your 2011 tourney info ASAP. I keep your listing posted until your tournament is completed, so the sooner you send the info to me the more exposure it will receive.

We get lots of listings from the West Coast, but not nearly as many from around the rest of the country. So, come on, shoot me an email with the details - the sooner the better.

I'm attempting to get copies of The Joy of Bocce 3rd edition into as many bocce clubs, groups or organizations as possible as there is a definite time lag in getting them into the bookstores. Many people responded by email to the offer.

The idea is that groups can purchase at discount by the case (36 per case) and retail at the full price. This will I hope get some "Buzz" going about the book and the sport that might catch on with the bocce community at large.

I've worked hard to make this edition the one that will help this game grow - now starts the tough part - the marketing! Please help if you can. Call me at 978-686-8679 or email Mario@JoyofBocce.com for more details.

The Martignetti Family continues to do good work in the community. For six years they have annually raised money for charity with their Martignetti Family Charity Bocce Tournament. Now this...

"We are privileged to let you know we are working with two amazing filmmakers Carmine Famiglietti and Matthew Bonifacio. They are writers, producers, director and Carmine stars in an incredible movie called 'Lbs'. (The Martignetti Brothers are Executive Producers).

Just this week it was nominated for a Spirit Award (the Oscars for Independent Films). It was nominated for the 'John Cassavetes Award' (Best Small Budget Picture). A tremendous accomplishment. It was also nominated at the Sundance Film Festival for the Sloane Award.

'Lbs' deals with food addiction and drug addiction. The movie follows the life of two best friends who each deal with their own demons and it's riveting to see what becomes of their lives over a 2 year period.

You can help by adding it to your Face Book page, Netfix Queue, giving good reviews on the various film web sites and looking for the DVD release. Your help in making this a commercial success would be greatly appreciated.

This is a very moving and powerful movie. We hope you enjoy it as we have.

For the last few years I have been launching the weekly ezine only in html form. The techies at Topica, the list managing outfit, tell me that this is one reason some ezines don't make it to their intended destination. So, I changed to sending it as "multi-part" which means you might get it as html or text depending on how you are signed up. If your newsletter is still coming in html you'll notice no difference, but if it arrives in text only form you'll know. We've had a lot fewer bounces the last three issues, so I guess it's working.

The techies at Topica tell me you can go to the bottom of your weekly ezine and click on "Profile". There you can select "html" or "text" for your weekly newsletter format.

Ben Musolf sends advance notice for the 2011 United States Bocce Championships.

Ben says "I went through all of my contacts and hand selected the individuals that I feel would benefit the most by advertising at Campo di Bocce of Livermore, Los Gatos, or both for the 2011 United States Bocce Championships.

All of the businesses that associate with Campo di Bocce have such diversity, ranging from Wineries, Construction, High Tech, Education, Non-Profit Organizations, Clothing and Apparel, Food and Beverage, Beer and Wine, and so many more. The beauty of the wonderful game of Bocce is that it truly is one of the only sports that is able to cater to such a diverse group of industries and individuals.

My goal for the 2011 United States Bocce Championships is to have the final match televised and viewed LIVE on local Television, and the Internet. Using social media tools like Facebook and Twitter, along with radio advertising, I am certain that the exposure of the 2011 United States Bocce Championships will be so large that this will be the most successful and well attended Nationals ever.

Please consider helping to promote next year's National Championships. The more exposure we are able to give the sport, the bigger it will become. Wouldn’t it be awesome if Bocce was on television with the likes of bowling, darts, billiards, and golf?

It is such an honor to have the opportunity to host such a prestigious event. Attached you will find a press package, advertising form, registration forms, schedule of events, and the 2011 Press Release.

If this is something that you or your company are not interested in but may know someone or another company that you feel it will benefit, please feel free to forward this on.

Thank you again for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly by phone or e-mail if you have any questions. I truly look forward to hearing from you.

One last thing- Campo di Bocce of Livermore is going to be the Host of the 2012 World Bocce Championships. The more we can promote the wonderful game of Bocce on the National level, the bigger and better it will be on the World Level!

We should all be card carrying members. Every club should be affiliated. For the sport to gain the attention it needs we need to boast of many thousands of members. Download a USBF Membership Application here:

This week's photos were submitted by Jonathan Bonanno. They show the sequential steps of the progress of constructing his terrific 80' by 12' court here in Methuen, Massachusetts. {Please follow Jonathan's lead by sending photos of bocce in your area.}

Choose the Clubhawk Gold, Henselite Bowls, or Premier Boule Measure. You can't go wrong with any of the three choices. Once a bocce aficionado has a set of bocce balls and my book, the next logical acquisition is a first-rate measure.

Each retails for $26.95 plus $6.00 shipping and will be shipped US Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope.

Please - anyone running a tournament - do me a favor - put a notice near your tourney bracket board informing players that they can go to http://www.joyofbocce.com and "opt in" for my FREE Ezine on bocce. Click the logo to the right to opt in if you do not already receive this ezine every Monday.

Please consider designating someone as "official event photographer" and directing that person to send snapshots for us to reproduce as photos of the week. Our readers love seeing bocce action from around the continent.

Check out the first-rate equipment we offer. The finest measuring devices for bocce (made in UK by Prohawk for lawn bowling, petanque, and bocce) - the finest bocce balls in the world (made in Italy by Perfetta) and the number one selling instructional book on bocce in America - Check them out.Check out the merchandise